| I understand that the anime is kind of badly adapted, but is the visual novel any good compared to it? |
 "Only one with the courage to shoulder the burden of their own fate can be called a hero.." |
Pietru said: If you're still here, let me answer.I understand that the anime is kind of badly adapted, but is the visual novel any good compared to it? I recently read through the Fortune Arterial visual novel. In truth, only some of it, as only 3 or the 6 routes have been translated (Shiro, Kiriha and Kanade. Haruna, Erika and True Route are not translated) and I can't read Japanese to read the rest. My experience with the VN is positive. Due to time constraints of turning a 35-hour story into just 4.5 hours of anime, the anime skips several set-up scenes, relationship-building moments and fun comedy banter. The VN is very competent at introducing the characters and the school, making the characters feel like a solid group of friends, using tension for the supernatural scenes, or, surprise, portraying Kouhei as a pretty competent and level-headed guy. The anime makes Kouhei as a generic dense guy, but he's not like that in the VN. Some scenes were changed from the VN to the anime. For example, Kouhei learning about vampires happens differently (and better) in the VN. The scene where he wants his memories erased but then changes his mind, was actually impactful in the VN, because we spend much more time seeing Kouhei hanging out with his friends, plus we have access to his monologues and thought process, which further the experience and allow us to understand better where he's coming from and what he's dealing with. The VN also does a good job drip-feeding information, foreshadowing and anticipation regarding the vampires and their role, Kiriha's secret, Shiro's situation, or Kouhei being special. One of my biggest (positive) surprises in the VN was the way they handled the characters falling in love with each other: it's elegant, subtle, atmospheric, and with none of the "he's dense so he doesn't realize it" crap, especially with Shiro and Kiriha's routes. Speaking of, the subject matters tackled in those routes, while executed better in other series, was nevertheless good and handled with care. Kanade's route is less interesting, but still competent. The anime completely skipped Shiro's story, as well as 70% of Kiriha's story, making both sadly bland, which they aren't supposed to. I also noticed the anime made Erika a tsundere with little purpose, which she isn't in the VN. All in all, while the VN of Fortune Arterial is far from perfect (supernatural aspects beyond the initial vampire stuff takes a while before being answered, the routes start a bit slow pre-confession, school stuff is fairly standard), it is undoubtedly much better than the anime, the characters are explored more and are fun to spend time with, their friendship is nice, the romance is sweet, and the story is executed with competence. Honestly, I disliked the anime. It skipped Shiro and Kiriha's stories (making them underwhelming and, in Shiro's case, felt pointless in the anime), didn't give any answers to how Erika would keep living "as a human" without drinking Kouhei's blood or making him a servant, rushed the Haruna-Kanade story, gave no lore, history or origin to the vampires or Erika's mother, or why Kouhei is "special". I'd give the VN (only the translated portion) a 7 to 7.5/10 (If Erika's route or the True Route were translated, I'm sure my score would go higher). |
| Currently reading it ala MTL, its ok. This was one of August's early works from end of 2007. |
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